Tools for Assessing the STEAM Learning Affordances and Quality of Outdoor Learning Environments of Childcare Centers: A Systematic Review.
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| Title: | Tools for Assessing the STEAM Learning Affordances and Quality of Outdoor Learning Environments of Childcare Centers: A Systematic Review. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Trina, Nazia Afrin1 (AUTHOR) ntrina@ttu.edu, Monsur, Muntazar1 (AUTHOR) mmonsur@ttu.edu, Cosco, Nilda2 (AUTHOR) ngcosco@ncsu.edu, Shine, Stephanie3 (AUTHOR) stephanie.shine@ttu.edu, Loon, Leehu1 (AUTHOR) leehu.loon@ttu.edu, Mastergeorge, Ann3 (AUTHOR) ann.mastergeorge@ttu.edu |
| Source: | Early Childhood Education Journal. Mar2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p1091-1107. 17p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Outdoor education, *Early childhood education, *STEAM education, *Evaluation methodology, *Day care centers, *Cognitive development, Landscape assessment |
| Abstract: | Science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning is directly connected with children's cognitive development. Measuring the cognitive advancements of young children is more challenging than that of older ones because young children experience vast variations in the different personal, developmental, and environmental factors affecting their learning behaviors. Also, much learning in the early years is informal in nature, posing added challenges in systematic assessment. There are several assessment tools available for evaluating childcare settings and assessing science learning within the context of the classroom, but none for assessing outdoor learning environments. However, research shows that the outdoor physical environment of early childcare facilities has a long-lasting influence on cognitive development as well as on the quality of STEAM learning for children. There is a critical need for systematic tools to assess formal and informal early STEAM learning outdoor environments to advance both fields of early childhood education and design. This systematic review aims to document all existing tools available for assessing (a) the quality of the childcare outdoor environments and (b) the quality of STEAM learning of children aged 3–5 outside the classroom context, addressing the current lack of reliable and valid assessment measures in this emerging field. The synthesis of information from a selection of 20 studies revealed that STEAM-based outdoor learning at the preschool age is a relatively new topic and that there are no assessment tools or indicators that can assess the available opportunities in the outdoor physical environment and their affordances of STEAM learning activities and activity settings in early childhood environments (e.g., childcare centers, family care homes, or preschools). This deficiency demands more research in the areas of systematic environmental assessments of landscape design indicators in early childhood settings to advance spontaneous STEAM learning behaviors in the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192685741 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Tools for Assessing the STEAM Learning Affordances and Quality of Outdoor Learning Environments of Childcare Centers: A Systematic Review. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Trina%2C+Nazia+Afrin%22">Trina, Nazia Afrin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ntrina@ttu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Monsur%2C+Muntazar%22">Monsur, Muntazar</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mmonsur@ttu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cosco%2C+Nilda%22">Cosco, Nilda</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ngcosco@ncsu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shine%2C+Stephanie%22">Shine, Stephanie</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> stephanie.shine@ttu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Loon%2C+Leehu%22">Loon, Leehu</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> leehu.loon@ttu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mastergeorge%2C+Ann%22">Mastergeorge, Ann</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ann.mastergeorge@ttu.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education+Journal%22">Early Childhood Education Journal</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p1091-1107. 17p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outdoor+education%22">Outdoor education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+childhood+education%22">Early childhood education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEAM+education%22">STEAM education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+methodology%22">Evaluation methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Day+care+centers%22">Day care centers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+development%22">Cognitive development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Landscape+assessment%22">Landscape assessment</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning is directly connected with children's cognitive development. Measuring the cognitive advancements of young children is more challenging than that of older ones because young children experience vast variations in the different personal, developmental, and environmental factors affecting their learning behaviors. Also, much learning in the early years is informal in nature, posing added challenges in systematic assessment. There are several assessment tools available for evaluating childcare settings and assessing science learning within the context of the classroom, but none for assessing outdoor learning environments. However, research shows that the outdoor physical environment of early childcare facilities has a long-lasting influence on cognitive development as well as on the quality of STEAM learning for children. There is a critical need for systematic tools to assess formal and informal early STEAM learning outdoor environments to advance both fields of early childhood education and design. This systematic review aims to document all existing tools available for assessing (a) the quality of the childcare outdoor environments and (b) the quality of STEAM learning of children aged 3–5 outside the classroom context, addressing the current lack of reliable and valid assessment measures in this emerging field. The synthesis of information from a selection of 20 studies revealed that STEAM-based outdoor learning at the preschool age is a relatively new topic and that there are no assessment tools or indicators that can assess the available opportunities in the outdoor physical environment and their affordances of STEAM learning activities and activity settings in early childhood environments (e.g., childcare centers, family care homes, or preschools). This deficiency demands more research in the areas of systematic environmental assessments of landscape design indicators in early childhood settings to advance spontaneous STEAM learning behaviors in the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192685741 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10643-025-01911-0 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 17 StartPage: 1091 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Outdoor education Type: general – SubjectFull: Early childhood education Type: general – SubjectFull: STEAM education Type: general – SubjectFull: Evaluation methodology Type: general – SubjectFull: Day care centers Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognitive development Type: general – SubjectFull: Landscape assessment Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Tools for Assessing the STEAM Learning Affordances and Quality of Outdoor Learning Environments of Childcare Centers: A Systematic Review. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Trina, Nazia Afrin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Monsur, Muntazar – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cosco, Nilda – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shine, Stephanie – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Loon, Leehu – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mastergeorge, Ann IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10823301 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 54 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Early Childhood Education Journal Type: main |
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